There were some depressing movies made then, even a miniseries on the Soviets conquering us, “Amerika”, the BBC made “Threads”.
This movie is an Apocalypse classic, “The Day After” that affected Reagan deeply, and our national policy, “Testament” was so depressing that when it ended, the theater was so silent and sad, that it set me and my brother into a laughing jag.
The Soviet Union seemed to have some veto powers over Hollywood at the time, and Amerika almost never got shown, but conservatives started demanding that ABC release it.
A truly great post apocalyptic movie is from 1975, “A Boy and His Dog”
I know this movie of which you speak. Amazing ending.
They showed “The Day After” during my freshman year in college, when I was in ROTC.
Me and my buddies were laughing and cheering when the “crowd pleasers” were detonating all over Kansas.
Some people just can’t take a joke.